Battlefleet Eressa 616th Fighter Wing "The Ebony Grox"
While called by their formal name in Imperial records, the unit is far better known by its informal moniker the "Ebony Grox." Composed of the best pilots Battlefleet Eressa has to offer, only their remarkable skills behind the controls have saved them from prison or worse since they are known for their insubordinate behavior as much as their excellent combat record. however this reputation comes at a price- numerous pilots have died in action since the unit's founding. While Battlefleet Eressa's officer corps finds them an annoyance at best, a disaster waiting to happen, at worst. Palavo's ruler is grateful for their presence, going so far as to give them a previously uninhabited island to operate from, and despite its original designation on maps of the planet it was quickly dubbed the "Grox Pen" a name that has since stuck, even among the locals. Vehicles and Equipment While they favor the Kestrel variant of the venerable Thunderbolt Attack Craft they will also fight in the standard Cypra-Mundi variant when necessary. Most pilots will also boast about how they can fly anything, even ramshackle Ork fighter craft, a claim no one has been called on to prove. Their Kestrels are a distinctive dark blue, offset by a black and white checkerboard pattern on wingtips and nose while the Squadron Crest is prominently displayed on the Tail Rudder. History Crimson Skies over Kinshara(668-69.M41) 667 saw the end of a fifteen year rebellion on Kinshara but the beginning of other problems. Orks appeared in the skies over the planet, targeting Imperial supply depots and troops arriving to garrison the newly recaptured planet. While being forced to fight a common enemy fostered unity between Imperial forces and the surviving rebels,who were offered clemency and pardons if they again fought under the Imperial banner, it would not be enough. The Enforcer, Ambulemus Tenebris and the other vessels assigned to Palavo arrived to help six weeks later, carrying fighter craft and badly needed supplies of food and ammunition. The Ebony Grox entered the fight and met Da Meteork Skwadrun in the first of many encounters since. The nearly year long campaign saw them dogfighting over Kinshara's cities and supporting Imperial Guard units fighting to keep the Orks at bay. It was costly to the newly established unit, losing eleven pilots and nineteen aircraft, but the Orks paid for their victories, Ebony Grox pilots downed an estimated fifty seven Ork fighter craft. While Kinshara held firm, the Orks were able to establish a foothold on Kinshara Primus(one of the planet's three moons) after burning its cities to the ground and in the city of Nerivaan, abandoned during the fighting on the planet proper. Present Battle of Makapula(669.M41) Battle of Chodounska(670.M41-Present) Notable Members Flight Marshal Gregory Konrade The new unit leader's and its finest pilot, Konrade spent his early days working in the forests and mines near his family home. He soon learned to love flight from one of his neighbors, a retired Marauder pilot who told the young man his war stories and taught him to fly using various local aircraft. But it wasn't enough for him- and so he joined the Imperial Navy, leaving unpaid debts and a string of former lovers behind him. He soon finished his training and was assigned to a frontier post troubled by Orks, and he soon proved his distrust for and dislike of higher authority, dividing his downtime between taverns and jail cells. While he clashed with his superiors they recognized his skills and gave him his own unit after several years- mostly just to be rid of him, while silently hoping he would die in battle. But Fate, or perhaps the God-Emperor himself, had other plans. Despite his hard drinking, and frequent bar fights he survived every battle he ever fought, building himself a legend and earning fierce loyalty from every Imperial Pilot he ever fought beside. Admiral Kale removed him from command after one too many complaints but gave him a new opportunity, to lead the worst behaved but most talented of Battlefleet Eressa's pilots to glory. Uriah Morran True to the nature of the unit, Morran met his future commander in a tavern brawl. Despite his knowledge that Konrade outranked him he deliberately hit him. Rather than report him and demand his arrest, the future Flight Marshal went to the Base Commander and requested that Morran be made the second in command of his new unit. Initially a Marauder Bomber pilot he quickly transitioned to a Kestral but put his previous training to use, passing it along to any "Ebony Grox" pilot willing to learn, giving rise to their common boast. While not quite as talented as his superior he is seen more than worthy of his current title and position. Titus Jovinus Hailing from Animos he is not so much a troublemaker as he is a constant practical joker- enough so that his superior officer, often the victim of said practical jokes had him reassigned as punishment. Despite his joking manner he is still a highly skilled pilot, already a triple ace before his arrival to the unit, he added another two to his tally at Kinshara, somehow predicting enemy movements with complete accuracy exactly 1.3 seconds before firing. He is also noted to be the Ebony Grox's best shot with both lasgun and laspistol, a talent that unnerves his comrades. Dante Julo One of the eleven new pilots added to the unit after Kinshara he maintains that he was not sent to the unit as a result of any misbehavior, but due to a debt a wealthy superior refuses to pay. Nevertheless, over the course of his brief career with the Eboy Grox he has only added to his impressive record and more than accepted his colleagues' distaste for authority. Izetta Stark Though usually composed and quite calm, Izetta's temper becomes as short as her stature as soon as she enters the cockpit. It was exactly this fiery character that earned Izetta a place among the Grox after a strident argument with her former flight captain, Reiner Milligan. While the exact subject is still debated over, at the end Izetta would be relocated to the 616th, earning them a vicious and highly dedicated dog fighter. Meyek Harlan Well known to be a man of few words, he prefers to let his reputation speak for itself. Already an ace three times over before joining the 616th for reasons he won't discuss with anyone he carries many of the scars of previous battles, the most prominent of which crosses his face- a product of The Meteork raid on The Grox Pen. Tonie Herran }While not a pilot, the members of the Ebony Grox still consider her a part of the Squadron- with Adeptus Mechanicus Techpriests often unavailable they are forced to rely on Battlefleet Eressa personnel to repair and maintain their fighters. Tonie Herran, gifted with natural mechanical talent, but also a quick wit and a pretty face(something Ebony Grox pilots are quick to notice and comment on) often streaked with oil, she has won not only their respect but also their admiration. Ivan Bhuer Ivan Bhuer, known better by the callsign "Icewhite", has made somewhat of a reputation as the squadron's resident black sheep, ironically enough. His prickly, some would say downright homicidal demeanor might have to do with the varied reactions to his outward appearance; he's an albino, a trait ignored on some worlds but considered a sign of genetic deviancy on others. For the latter, Ivan seemingly always has a shiv on hand and wields it with disturbing effectiveness. Despite this, he's still a devil in the cockpit, one of the reasons why Flight Marshall Konrade doesn't pursue more stringent disciplinary action. During the Ebony Grox's infamous "barroom blitzes" Ivan can typically be identified as the bone-pale figure sitting at the back booth, wearing wrap-around glare shades and a permanent scowl. Locals are discouraged from socializing, lest another bigot end up with a fork through the eye socket. Quotes By About Category:Eressa Sector Category:Imperial Navy Category:Imperial Navy Characters